Stay Motivated

Sometimes we start losing weight, but we never finish. We ditch another diet. We throw in the towel on our exercise efforts. Maybe it's from outside pressure; sometimes we aren't ready to lose weight. Whatever the cause, it is not at all uncommon.

That doesn't mean you're destined for failure. Even if you've started and stopped 100 times before, this time doesn't have to end the same way.

By putting some important skills to use, you will find it a little easier to stick to your weight loss efforts than if you rely on sheer will alone.

Skill One: Reward Yourself

One of the best ways to stay motivated throughout your weight loss journey is to reward yourself with non-food rewards that you will look forward to and enjoy. It can be something tangible (a new book) or something intangible (no less important), such as a lazy Saturday of watching movies in bed.

By marking a goal -- say, each five pound loss -- you will begin to correlate reaching your goals with a pleasurable experience. When simply seeing the scale numbers change loses its "buzz," that special treat will keep you going.

Skill Two: Track Your Progress and Portions

Whether you keep a spreadsheet on your computer or simply jot down your stats in a notebook, keeping an eye on your progress will keep you motivated. You can track your weight, measurements, or BMI -- it is up to you. By looking back at how far you've come, you're less likely to revert to old habits.

Additionally, if you keep careful records, you will be able to catch slip-ups in your calorie counting or exercise habits that, left unchecked, could cause a major plateau or weight gain.

Careful record-keeping includes closely monitoring portion sizes -- what many say is the most important long-term weight management key. Over-doing portions of even healthier foods can mean the difference between long-term weight loss success and eventual failure. Keeping a food diary is the best way to keep on top of what you're eating.

Skill Three: Master Emotional Eating

To achieve long-term weight loss success, you will have to come face-to-face with any emotional eating habits by asking some important questions: Do you overeat when you're angry? Do you splurge on an extra serving of dessert when you're feeling frustrated?

Being honest with yourself is the only way to get the true measure of your emotional eating triggers. Without facing them, you will always be less likely to be in control of your weight.

Skill Four: Prepare for the Pushers

There will always be people who encourage you to go off your diet "just this once." That's not really a problem until "this once" becomes time and time again. If every time you see someone you go off the rails at their suggestion, it may mean you need to distance yourself or have a serious talk with about your weight loss efforts.

Peer pressure doesn't end when you get older; it's ever-present if your friends and family correlate enjoying time with you to eating with you. Plan non-food activities with loved ones and work hard to resist temptation when you're in an environment where food is part of the festivities.

Skill Five: Remember, It's About Health, Too

In a Web poll, 65% of our site's visitors said they were losing weight for appearance's sake; only 35% said they were doing it for their health. To be honest, that surprised me quite a bit, considering how great an impact weight loss has on health and overall quality of life.

The thing is, your slimmer self will become your norm. The compliments about your weight loss will die down. Once you've worn that "new and improved" size for a while, the thrill of trying on the clothes in your new wardrobe will start to fade. Shopping outside a plus size store, if you're doing so for the first time, will be exciting only for so long (or until your credit cards are maxed out). So, if you ask me, it's not all about looks.

When motivation to stick to your new eating and exercise habits wanes, and a quick glance in the mirror doesn't do the trick, considering the many health risks of obesity probably will get you going. By maintaining a healthier weight, you are more likely to live a longer life with fewer medical problems. Wearing a smaller size is just the icing on the cake; a happier, healthier life is the ultimate reward.

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Get Motivated to Lose Weight

Are you motivated to lose weight? Many people believe that motivation is a magical quality that some people have and some people don't. But there are easy techniques that anyone can learn. By understanding how motivation works, you can assemble the building blocks you need to achieve weight loss success.

There are two kinds of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is the inspiration that comes from an external source, outside of you. For example, if your physician tells you that you need to lose weight, you may be externally motivated to go on a diet out of fear of poor health. Many rewards are extrinsic sources. If you go on a diet in order to fit into a smaller dress size, your motivation is extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from within. If you exercise because of the sense of accomplishment you achieve at the end of the workout your source of motivation is intrinsic. If you choose a healthy snack because it makes you feel better about yourself, you are internally or intrinsically motivated.

So why do different types of motivation matter? Extrinsic and intrinsic inspiration will come into play at different times during your weight loss experience. By understanding how to use both extrinsic and intrinsic forms, you equip yourself with the tools you need for weight loss success.

People often begin an exercise or weight loss program for external reasons: their clothes don't fit, their doctor has told them that they need to lose weight, family and friends have put pressure on them to slim down. These extrinsic factors are great for getting the ball rolling.

When you feel outside pressure to lose weight, let it motivate you to gather information. You may not be ready to go on a diet, but you can learn more about weight loss plans and exercise programs. Find out if there are small steps you can take to improve your health before you take the plunge and commit to a full-scale weight-loss program. Ask your physician about how making small changes to your diet or lifestyle will affect your health.

Extrinsic motivation can also be helpful when you need a gentle nudge to achieve short-term goals. For example, you might know that exercise is good for you, you may even know that you'll feel better after you complete a workout, but on some days you might still struggle to get to the gym. On those days, promise yourself a healthy reward. Set the DVR to record your favorite show or pick up some bubble bath and reward yourself with time in the tub after the workout is complete.

While extrinsic motivation may help you overcome short-term challenges, people who are successful at weight loss are usually motivated by intrinsic factors. Eating well and exercising makes them feel good so they continue to practice healthy habits for the long term.

So how do you create internal motivation? The good news is that most people already have it. All you have to do is find it, identify it and acknowledge it.

3 Steps to Foster Internal Motivation

Set short-term goals. Set yourself up for success by setting very short-term achievable goals. Your long-term goal might be to lose 30 pounds, but a good short-term goal might be to eat a lean healthy breakfast each day during the week. If a weekly goal seems too broad, set a goal for just one day or even an hour. Swap the high calorie soda for water during one meal or commit to cut your lunch in half and save half for another day.Keep a journal. Write out each goal in a journal. At the end of the day, comment on the day's success. Keep in mind that just taking the time to write in your journal is healthy and an accomplishment in itself. Use positive words that describe how you feel about your actions.Acknowledge your success. Take time to review your successes and give yourself credit. Review your journal on a regular basis and take pride in every step you've taken to improve your health.

As you move through the process of fostering internal motivation, you'll find that your confidence in your own abilities will increase. When you acknowledge the success of small accomplishments, it becomes easier to believe that larger goals are attainable. You begin to believe in yourself and in your ability to change your health by changing your weight.

Sources:

Williams, Geoffrey C.Grow, Virginia M.Freedman, Zachary R.Ryan, Richard M.Deci, Edward L. . " Motivational predictors of weight loss and weight-loss maintenance." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol 70(1), Jan 1996, 115-126.

Silva, Marlene, Markland, David, Carraça, Eliana, Vieira, Paulo, Coutinho, Sílvia R., Minderico, Cláudia S., Matos, Margarida G, Sardinha, Luís B., Teixeira, Pedro J. " Exercise Autonomous Motivation Predicts 3-yr Weight Loss in Women ." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise April 2011 - Volume 43 - Issue 4 - pp 728-737.

American Council On Exercise Personal Trainer Manual, Module 3, Session One. Dr. Diane McCaughey, Ph.D. Accessed: December 19, 2011. http://diannemccaughey.com/

Christopher J. Armitage, Mark Conner. " Distinguishing Perceptions of Control From Self-Efficacy: Predicting Consumption of a Low-Fat Diet Using the Theory of Planned Behavior." Journal of Applied Psychology Volume 29, Issue 1, pages 72-90, January 1999.

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Staying Motivated Through Your Fitness Program

Through research and surveys conducted, one of the most common New Year resolutions is starting or making a change to a health and fitness program. That being said, it is also one of the resolutions that most people go hard at for a few weeks before falling in a heap of "its all too hard". It is not as if people don't want to be fit. But they do lack the motivation to implement a fitness program into their everyday lives. Its proven time and time again that motivation is as important as the exercises itself if you genuinely want to achieve your health and fitness goals.

While each person has their own way of staying motivated and what works for some may not work for others, there are some things everyone can do to remain motivated.

The first and foremost aspect is to find a good trainer. Now a good trainer is not just someone who has a lot of experience or can show you lots of different exercises. The trainer that helps you stay motivated is someone who will work with you and build a fitness program that is fun and targets the areas where you need more attention. Remember when we are with a friend or simply listening to music, time suddenly feels like it is going faster and before you know it you have already completed an hour of training. It's the same with a good trainer. A trainer that feels like working out with a friend is the ideal trainer for you to stay motivated.Once you have found the ideal trainer for yourself, the next aspect is to develop a fitness program that involves doing things you not only enjoy but understand the benefits of such program. Exercise does not have to be boring or be the same repetitive thing again and again. In fact for so many people, their main excuse for not exercising is thinking they will get bored. If you have found the right trainer, then he or she will be able to develop a training program that involves a number of activities such as gymnastics, Pilates, cardio and weightlifting amongst others. These activities need to be tailored as per your specific requirements and once you start achieving some results, there is no better motivation than to feel you are finally achieving your goals.Goals are in fact one of the key ways to remain motivated. There is obviously one ultimate goal to attain a certain level of fitness. But if that remains the only goal, then within a week or so some may feel disappointed that they are nowhere near what they want to achieve. Hence apart from our main goal, it is good to have several other smaller goals that are realistic and easily achievable. Once you start hitting these goals, the rush you feel inside you is quite extraordinary and your mind automatically is motivated to reach out for the next goal and so on. If your mind remains motivated, then sticking to a fitness program is a "piece of cake."Claire Schintler is one of the co-founders of Simply Fitness Personal Training studio, based in Essendon, Victoria. We provide fitness and strength training for people of all makes and models. For more information on our fitness studio in Essendon , please visit simplyfitnesspt.com Rate this Article

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Claire Schintler has published 1 article. Article submitted on January 18, 2013. Word count: 509

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